"…You've got to be kidding me."
Down on the ruined ground, the shadow-clad operative emerged once more, staring at the massive gravity sphere expanding in the sky.
A bead of cold sweat slid down his forehead.
That thing—
At least ten meters in diameter, pitch-black like a falling meteor.
The moment it appeared, the air itself trembled, as if space itself was being crushed under its weight. A low, ominous creaking sound echoed through the surroundings, the sheer gravity distorting the atmosphere.
Was this really something Gravisheath could do?
Could that Orga Lux truly wield such terrifying power?
The shadow operative's mind raced with disbelief.
What he didn't know—
Was that once Gravisheath had bonded with Kaiser as his personal weapon, it had undergone the same transformation that Ser-Veresta once had.
Just like Ser-Veresta, Gravisheath had been amplified by Kaiser's unique authority, unlocking its true potential.
More than that—
Kaiser's weapons grew alongside him.
The stronger he became, the stronger his weapons became.
And compared to a few months ago, Kaiser's growth had been immeasurable.
Perhaps he still wasn't at the level of the true monsters in Asterisk.
But as the current Rank One of Seidoukan Academy, his strength was undisputed.
Add to that his perfect mastery over Gravisheath, as well as feeding it his blood, allowing it to reach a state of absolute satisfaction—
The result?
This absolute power.
Compared to Kaiser, Irene Urzaiz—the scythe's former wielder—was nothing more than a child playing with a toy.
"If you're a cat, then act like one."
Kaiser's golden eyes gleamed coldly as he gazed down at the shadow operative struggling below.
"Go scurry back into the dark corners and chase rats where you belong."
"Stay out of my way."
And with that—
He swung Gravisheath down.
The colossal gravity sphere plummeted, distorting the air around it as it fell, creating a deafening pressure wave.
"—Dangerous!"
The shadow operative's instincts screamed.
Without hesitation, he dived back into the shadows, fleeing with everything he had.
"BOOOOM!!"
The massive gravity sphere crashed into the ground.
The impact shattered everything.
For an instant—
It was as if a meteor had struck the city.
The earthquake-like tremor shook the entire district, sending dust and debris flying in a violent storm.
The entire road was obliterated, reduced to a crater of destruction.
Nearby pedestrians—even those several streets away—felt the tremors.
"What was that?!"
"What's going on?!"
Alarms blared across Asterisk.
The emergency security systems detected the attack, sending out distress signals across the entire city-wide network.
It wasn't until several minutes later that the gravity sphere finally dissipated, vanishing into nothingness.
All that remained—
Was a massive crater where the road once stood.
Inside, dust swirled.
The ground was covered in broken stone, shattered asphalt, and scattered debris.
Kaiser hovered above it all, his gaze sweeping the ruins.
"Escaped, huh?"
His expression remained calm, unbothered.
"Well, makes sense. There's no way someone like that would go down so easily."
A shadow operative like him was one thing—
But Dirk Eberwein, the Student Council President of Le Wolfe Black Institute?
There was no way he would allow himself to be killed so easily.
Kaiser had never expected Dirk to be completely defenseless.
Of course, Dirk would have other Gold Eyes guarding him.
Perhaps even other powerful individuals, beyond just the intelligence operatives.
The moment things went south, Dirk had immediately retreated, abandoning his subordinates to cover his escape.
Not even Kaiser had noticed exactly when Dirk had fled.
That meant—
Someone else had helped him escape.
"Whatever."
Kaiser wasn't the type to dwell on things unnecessarily.
Dirk had sent people after him first.
So he simply returned the favor.
A fair warning.
If Dirk didn't know his place, Kaiser wouldn't mind getting serious.
While his current strength might not yet be enough to directly threaten someone as high-ranking as Dirk, there was one major difference between them—
Kaiser knew the original story.
He knew Dirk's secrets.
And if he chose to expose them—
Dirk wouldn't be able to escape the consequences.
"For now, that's enough."
His gaze shifted downwards, glancing at the scythe in his hand.
"You did well tonight."
Kaiser murmured to Gravisheath, his tone almost amused.
"Keep it up."
In response—
The blood-red blade trembled, producing a low, eerie hum—
A sound that almost resembled a purring cat, as if it was basking in its master's praise.
Kaiser chuckled softly.
But then—
He noticed vehicles approaching in the distance.
Flashing lights.
The Stjarnagarm.
Asterisk's primary law enforcement organization, responsible for maintaining order and dealing with crime.
If they found him here—
It would be an annoyance.
Without wasting any more time, Kaiser manipulated gravity, allowing his body to float upward.
Then, with a turn—
He vanished into the night sky.
....
Le Wolfe Black Institute – Student Council Office
Dirk Eberwein had returned.
Silently, without a word, he walked into his office, sinking into his massive leather chair.
"Did you identify him?"
His voice was cold, shadowed by irritation.
Before him—
The shadow operative, the man who had fought Kaiser, emerged from the darkness.
But his expression was grim.
"…Unfortunately, there are no leads regarding his real identity."
Dirk did not react with anger.
"I figured as much."
He crossed his arms.
"If he was bold enough to attack me so openly, then of course he'd be confident in hiding his identity."
"If even you, someone who fought him directly, couldn't find any clues—"
"Then even scanning the surveillance footage, security feeds, or satellite imagery wouldn't do us any good."
The shadow operative fell silent.
Because he had already tried all of those methods.
And yet—
None of them had produced a single clue.
It was as if the attacker simply didn't exist.
Every system that relied on Mana-based technology had failed to detect him.
"…Was it severed?"
Dirk muttered something under his breath.
The shadow operative's eyes flickered.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Dirk didn't elaborate.
Because he had no proof.
Speculation was meaningless without evidence.
But one thing was certain.
"This was a warning."
Dirk let out a low scoff, shaking his head.
"Looks like that kid isn't as simple as I thought."
"Treating him as just a wielder of Ser-Veresta was my mistake."
The shadow operative frowned slightly, but remained silent.
"Forget it."
Dirk leaned back.
"Clean up the mess. Handle the aftermath."
The shadow operative nodded.
"What about Gravisheath?"
"Do you really think we can take it back?"
Dirk let out a mocking chuckle.
"Just from that fight alone, it's obvious—Gravisheath has completely evolved under his command."
"If we act carelessly, we'll just be giving him more opportunities."
"For now—we wait."
With that—
The shadow operative disappeared into the darkness.
Breaking News: Attack on Le Wolfe's Student Council President!
The sheer scale of the destruction had made it impossible to cover up.
Overnight, the news had spread like wildfire.
"The 'Tyrant' got attacked?"
"Seriously?"
"Hah! Serves him right!"
Most people weren't sympathetic.
Dirk Eberwein was widely hated, both for his scheming nature and his repulsive personality.
Normally, this would have remained a hot topic for weeks.
But—
The Phoenix Festa finals were about to begin.
And that was what everyone truly cared about.